This video was shot on the first day of our Peru/Amazon rainforest voyage aboard Sea Dream 2. This Amazon Indian tribe rarely receive visitors and therefore were totally unspoiled by tourism. They were very friendly and excited to be able to entertain just a few travellers in this way. My favourite story of this day was when I was standing watching the dance and I felt a little tap on my waist. I turned sideways- no-one there! BUT, when I looked down there was a tiny Indian lady, one of the ones standing in the photo on the left, she was smiling and making signs saying how tall I am and how tiny she is. It did make me smile, she was just so lovely and friendly. This photo is of the same lady on the right and her Mum!

I’ve done SO much research about what we might expect from having altitude sickness when we visit Cusco in Peru.

I visited my doctor today to check on various ways of stopping any altitude sickness before it starts. This is the link to the information on altitude sickness we found, she was actually very helpful and found alternative medication to ACETAZOLAMIDE ( Diamox) which I won’t be able to take as I have had previous reaction to sulphur-based medications. The medication plan for me will be Dexamethasone and Serevent ( an inhaler) . Luckily for my husband, NOT having any prior reactions to sulpha based drugs he will be able to take ACETAZOLAMIDE.

HOWEVER, my research into altitude sickness solutions did bring up the fact that Gingko Biloba can be an effective natural remedy to altitude sickness SO together with the circulation enhancing properties of Ginko Biloba and the ‘relaxing’ properties of chewin and ifg Coca Leaves and drinking Coca Leaf tea we should be in for a very interesting few days!

“Limited evidence indicates that an herbal remedy, gingko biloba, may prevent altitude sickness when started before ascent. The usual dosage is 100 mg every 12 hours.”

“Altitude sickness may develop in travellers who ascend rapidly to altitudes greater than 2500 m, including those in previously excellent health. Being physically fit in no way lessens the risk of altitude sickness. Those who have developed altitude sickness in the past are prone to future episodes. The risk increases with faster ascents and higher altitudes. Symptoms of acute mountain sickness, the most common form of the disorder, may include headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, malaise, insomnia, and loss of appetite. Severe cases may be complicated by breathlessness and chest tightness, which are signs of pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), or by confusion, lethargy, and unsteady gait, which indicate cerebral edema (brain swelling).

Altitude sickness may be prevented by taking acetazolamide 125 or 250 mg twice daily starting 24 hours before ascent and continuing for 48 hours after arrival at altitude. Possible side-effects include increased urinary volume, numbness, tingling, nausea, drowsiness, myopia and temporary impotence. Acetazolamide should not be given to pregnant women or anyone with a history of sulfa allergy.

For those who cannot tolerate acetazolamide, an alternative is dexamethasone, which has been shown to prevent acute mountain sickness and high-altitude cerebral edema (but not pulmonary edema). The usual dosage is 4 mg four times daily. Unlike acetazolamide, dexamethasone must be tapered gradually upon arrival at altitude, since there is a risk that altitude sickness will occur as the dosage is reduced. Dexamethasone is a steroid, so it should not be given to diabetics or anyone for whom steroids are contraindicated. For those at risk for high-altitude pulmonary edema, one option is to take oral nifedipine 10 or 20 mg every 8 hours. A newer treatment is prophylactic inhalation of 125 mcg of salmeterol (Serevent)every 12 hours, which was recently shown to reduce the risk of high-altitude pulmonary edema in those with a prior history of this disorder.

Limited evidence indicates that an herbal remedy, gingko biloba, may prevent altitude sickness when started before ascent. The usual dosage is 100 mg every 12 hours.

Other measures to prevent altitude sickness include:

Ascend gradually or by increments to higher altitudes

Avoid overexertion

Eat light meals

Avoid alcohol

The symptoms of altitude sickness develop gradually so that, with proper management, serious complications can usually be prevented. If any symptoms of altitude sickness appear, it is essential not to ascend to a higher altitude. If the symptoms become worse or if the person shows any signs of cerebral or pulmonary edema, such as breathlessness, confusion, lethargy, or unsteady gait, it is essential to descend to a lower altitude. A descent of 500-1000 meters is generally adequate except in cases of cerebral edema, which may require a greater descent. Travelers should not resume their ascent until all symptoms of altitude sickness have cleared. Supplemental oxygen is helpful if available. Acetazolamide, dexamethasone, and nifedipine may all be used to treat altitude sickness as well as prevent it. In most cases, acetazolamide is recommended as prevention, and dexamethasone and nifedipine are reserved for emergency treatment. Nifedipine is preferable to dexamethasone for high-altitude pulmonary edema.

Travel to high altitudes is generally not recommended for those with a history of heart disease, lung disease, or sickle cell disease. It is also not recommended for pregnant women.

I’ve been reading a lot recently about altitude sickness because of our upcoming trip to Cusco, Peru. It seems like the more I read about altitude sickness, the more worried I’m getting. Some people get it and some people don’t, it makes no difference whether you’re fit or not, if you’re going to get it you’ll get it and it can be quite nasty.

One of the things that help with altitude sickness is the local remedy of chewing coca leaves and drinking coca leaf tea, coca leaf is of course the original product that they make cocaine from although it is in its natural state before it goes through the chemical process of making it into cocaine.

there is a drug that can help with altitude sickness, it’s called Acetazolamide, it does seem to be quite effective if you take it a few days before you travel, but unfortunately for me, it belongs to a group of drugs that I could possibly be allergic to, sulpfa based medications so it’s probably not something I would want to try when at the top of a mountain in the middle of Peru.

My research for alternative therapies to help with altitude sickness, has shown that Gingko Biloba can be quite effective, so that’s what I’m going to be trying.